2 June 2023
Kate Larkindale has been editing ARTicle since late last year, so we thought it was about time we introduced her. And what better way to do it than with the Proust Questionnaire?
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Sunshine, quiet and a good book.
What is your greatest fear?
Ventriloquist dummies. They're just so creepy! Luckily, fairly easy to avoid in day-to-day life.
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Talking over people when I get excited about something.
What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Bigotry.
What is your greatest extravagance?
Shoes. I just really love shoes. Especially kooky ones like the ones in the photo at the top of this page.
What is your current state of mind?
Reasonably cheerful, actually!
What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Temperance - that's one of them isn't it?
On what occasion do you lie?
To keep from hurting someone's feelings. Although sometimes it's better just to say nothing.
What do you most dislike about your appearance?
My eyebrows don't match and that has always irritated me.
Which living person do you most despise?
It is probably not diplomatic to say....
What is the quality you most like in a man?
Empathy.
What is the quality you most like in a woman?
Confidence.
Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
According to find & replace every time I finish a manuscript, "just".
What or who is the greatest love of your life?
My kids. And their father.
When and where were you happiest?
I'm generally pretty happy, but I had a ball in Berlin in 2003, so I'll go with that.
Which talent would you most like to have?
I'd love to be able to sing well. I love singing, but I'm truly dreadful.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I'd care less about things. Caring a lot causes so much anxiety!
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Keeping my kids alive for 18+ years.
If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?
I'd love to come back as a house cat, but I'd probably be something more like a woodpecker.
Where would you most like to live?
Probably not long term, but I'd love to live in New York City.
What is your most treasured possession?
I think my house is the only thing I own that I'd really be upset if I lost.
What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
Being alone and desperate with no one to turn to or go to for help.
What is your favorite occupation?
Writing.
What is your most marked characteristic?
Bull-headedness. But I can't help it. I'm a Taurus and I was born in the Year of the Ox. Doomed from the start.
What do you most value in your friends?
The ability to pick up where we left off even if it's been years since we last saw each other.
Who are your favorite writers?
Gah! There are so many! Mary Lawson, Mikhail Bulgakov, Russell Banks, Donna Tartt, Vladimir Nabakov, Hannah Moskowitz, Jandy Nelson... And those are just the first ones to come to mind today.
Who is your hero of fiction?
Aunt Elner from the Elmwood Springs books by Fannie Flagg. An odd choice, I know, but I love eccentricity in all its forms.
Which historical figure do you most identify with?
The other Kate the Great - Catherine the Great of Russia.
Who are your heroes in real life?
Anyone who stands up for people who can't stand up for themselves.
What are your favorite names?
I really like colours as names - Blue, Sage, Indigo. I also love names that mean something awesome - like Isaac means "he laughs" in Hebrew.
What is it that you most dislike?
Arrogance. And celery. Can't understand why anyone ever tried eating that horrible stuff!
What is your greatest regret?
Dwelling on things I regret.
How would you like to die?
Quickly and peacefully.
What is your motto?
Always remember to party like a rock star.
